Materials
·
2026
·Vol. 19
·期 14
·2977
·
IF 3.7
Anjie Qi,Yunjia Liang,Bingjie Ge,Guodong Jiang,Shanglin Xiang,Dongyu Cai
HighlightsDeveloped a self-catalytic water/castor oil system for PET depolymerization.Achieved spontaneous precipitation of oligoesters without cooling crystallization.Upcycled the oligoesters into polyurethane adhesives with high peel strength.This study presents a green approach for polyethylene terephthalate (PET) upcycling using a biphasic system of subcritical water and castor oil. This system enables efficient conversion without an external catalyst and facilitates product separation. Hydrolysis of castor oil generates fatty acids in situ, which catalyze PET conversion to selectively produce low-molecular-weight oligoesters (Mn ≈ 1500 g/mol). These oligoesters are inherently immiscible with the bio-medium at room temperature, allowing straightforward separation by centrifugation. Orthogonal experiments show that temperature is the dominant factor affecting PET conversion, with the optimal conditions being 200 °C, a water-to-oil mass ratio of 1:5, and a reaction time of 10 h for complete conversion. Under the practical optimum condition, the castor oil phase remained highly effective over five consecutive depolymerization cycles. The functionalized oligoesters were used in polyurethane synthesis. At 6% loading, they gave adhesives with a T-peel strength of 8.09 N/15 mm and tensile strength of 25.14 MPa, and excellent damp-heat stability (only 0.62% loss in T-peel and 0.47% in 180° peel after aging). Thermogravimetric analysis confirmed enhanced thermal stability, with increases of 19.52 °C in T5%and 16.50 °C in T50%compared with the unmodified system. These results demonstrate the practical potential of the obtained oligoesters in high value adhesive applications.
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高影响因子
POLYMER DEGRADATION AND STABILITY
·
2026
·
IF 8.1
Pei Tang,Lesly Dasilva Wandji Djouonkep,Zhengzai Cheng,Asad ur Rehman Khan
Reaction pathway engineering enables sequence regulation beyond composition control. • Post-consumer PET waste is converted into purified rBHET through catalyst-free glycolysis. Condensation pathways govern sequence distribution and copolyester properties. • NMR-guided sequence analysis reveals structure–property–degradation relationships. • Pathway-controlled PET upcycling produces sustainable copolyesters with tunable performance. The chemical recycling of poly(ethylene terephthalate) (PET) provides a promising route toward circular polymer production; however, controlling molecular sequence distribution during PET repolymerization remains largely unexplored. In this study, a reaction pathway engineering strategy is developed to construct sequence-tunable recycled bis(2-hydroxyethyl) terephthalate (rBHET)-based copolyesters from post-consumer PET waste. Catalyst-free glycolytic depolymerization was combined with Sb 2 O 3 -catalyzed melt polycondensation through two distinct condensation pathways: transesterification using rBHET/dimethyl furan-2,5-dicarboxylate (DMFD)/dimethyl adipate (DMA) and mixed esterification–transesterification using rBHET/DMFD/adipic acid (AA). By regulating condensation pathways and DMFD incorporation, the sequence distribution and resulting chain organization were systematically tuned. Nuclear magnetic resonance analysis revealed pathway-dependent sequence variations, with randomness parameters ranging from 0.61 to 0.96. The optimized copolyester exhibited a balanced mechanical performance with a Young’s modulus of 1487 MPa, tensile strength of 58 MPa, and elongation at break of 205%. Furthermore, sequence architecture influenced enzymatic degradation behavior by modifying chain packing and ester bond accessibility, as demonstrated by Candida antarctica lipase B (CALB)-mediated degradation. This work demonstrates reaction pathway engineering as an additional molecular design strategy for transforming PET-derived feedstocks into recycled copolyesters with tunable sequence structures and application-oriented properties.
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Journal of Coatings Technology and Research
·
2026
·
IF 3.4
Xiao Dingwen,Zhang Huidong,Fang Yueguang,Wang Ziran,Xiu Lanling,Ye Junwei
Textiles are susceptible to microbial colonization due to prolonged accumulation of organic residues, such as sweat and skin secretions. These residues serve as nutrients for pathogenic growth, elevating the risk of infection in everyday environments. To mitigate, we developed a composite coating with persistent antibacterial properties by grafting polyethyleneimine (PEI) onto PET fabric surfaces followed by Cu(II) coordination. The functionalized fabrics (PET-PEI-Cu) exhibited exceptional antibacterial efficacy, achieving a bacteriostatic rate exceeding 99.99% against both Gram-negative Escherichia coli and Gram-positive Staphylococcus aureus , significantly outperforming commercial PET fabrics. Furthermore, PET-PEI-Cu demonstrated excellent laundering durability, retaining its antibacterial efficacy even after 50 repeated washing cycles. With its sustained antimicrobial activity, this fabric holds promise for reducing bacterial contamination in hospital bedding. This could help mitigate cross-infection risks, reduce the disinfection burden on healthcare staff, and lower operational costs. This work provided a scalable strategy for preparing high-performance, long-lasting antibacterial textiles with broad application prospects in healthcare and public health. Graphical abstract
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GREEN CHEMISTRY
·
2026
·
IF 10.6
Liwen Wang,Saidi Wang,Lingzhi Yu,Boyang Feng,Qiwen Zheng,Dongxia Yan,Qing Zhou,Yi Li,Junli Xu,GuoShuai Zhang,Xingmei Lu,Jiayu Xin
Enzymatic hydrolysis offers a sustainable route for plastic recycling, but is limited by high costs and a strong dependence on substrate crystallinity. Herein, we report a biomimetic serine-copper azolate hydrolase mimic (CuAF(Ser)) that features a dual active site for the direct depolymerization of highly crystalline PET (38%) under mild conditions. The catalyst emulates the Lewis acid active site of carboxypeptidase through copper nodes, integrates nitrogen-containing ligands for proton transfer, and employs serine as a secondary ligand to stabilize intermediates via hydrogen bonding, creating a synergistic “metal–hydrogen bonding” mechanism. This dual-site synergy enhances PET hydrolysis by a factor of 6 compared to single-site systems. The catalyst depolymerizes highly crystalline PET (38%) under mild conditions (40 °C, pH 8) within weeks, achieving a 100% monomer yield at 60 °C in 16 days. This outperforms commercial HiC, which shows no activity toward crystalline PET under identical conditions. Furthermore, the structure–property relationship of the catalysts was unveiled by systematic regulation of the metal centers and ligand experiments, from which universal design guidelines were established. This work advances the development of mild-condition PET depolymerization and provides molecular-level insights into cooperative biomimetic catalysis.
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CHEMICAL ENGINEERING JOURNAL
·
2026
·
IF 12.5
Wei Liu,Yanfei Liu,Xiaochuan Tang,Yanan Jiang,Jiahui Yao,Feipeng Li,Zhiyong Liu,Hong Tao,Shifei Kang
Efficient reforming of polyethylene terephthalate (PET) microplastics is crucial for addressing environmental challenges. The emerging active Cl· mediated PET depolymerization reaction represent a promising sustainable pathway, but suffers from low reaction kinetics and strict high temperatures ionic liquid reaction conditions. Herein, we propose a unique ferroelectric-enhanced chlorine-mediated depolymerization strategy for PET microplastics under ambient aqueous conditions. A ferroelectric PVDF-TrFE-CFE@TiO 2 (abbreviated as CFE@TNTs) electrode was fabricated by integrating poly(vinylidene fluoride-trifluoroethylene-chlorofluoroethylene) (PVDF-TrFE-CFE) with TiO 2 nanotubes array, which is employed in an electrolyte composed of a mixed solution of sodium hypochlorite and sodium hydroxide. Remarkably, a significant decrease in the molecular weight of PET was observed after electrocatalytic depolymerization using the CFE@TNTs electrode under dark conditions. Characterization (XRD, Raman, XPS, FTIR) showed the electrode in darkness continuously activated chloride ions into active chlorine species. Leveraging electrons released from the PET depolymerization process, the electrode's polarization field drives the directional electron transfer, thereby lowering the bond dissociation energy barrier and accelerating the reaction kinetics. In contrast, excessive light exposure promotes unwanted photochemical side reactions that lead to the consumption of Cl·. Product analysis confirmed that PET microplastics were successfully depolymerized into terephthalic acid and 1,2-dichloroethane. Density functional theory (DFT) revealed that the intrinsic polarization field of CFE@TNTs enhances interfacial charge separation and Cl − activation and lowers energy barriers. Breaking from traditional light-driven pathways, this study demonstrates efficient PET depolymerization under ambient aqueous dark conditions via ferroelectric catalysis, where polarization enhances active Cl· generation. This approach pushes ferroelectric materials for microplastic treatment and supports the development of energy-efficient, selective plastic recycling.
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INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF BIOLOGICAL MACROMOLECULES
·
2026
·
IF 8.7
Yingzhan Li,Jiahua Chen,Guoping Xu,Yan Wang,Baoquan Zhang,Zhen Zhang,Xinjian Li,Xiaofeng Sui
Simultaneously improving the functional durability and ecological sustainability of textile dyeing and finishing techniques has long presented a formidable challenge in textile processing. This study utilized a surface-dissolution strategy to functionalize polyethylene terephthalate (PET) yarns with cinnamate-functionalized cellulose nanocrystals (CinCNC), imparting durable ultraviolet (UV)-blocking properties. Incorporating CinCNC stabilized the yarn, reducing the coefficient of variation (CV) for yarn breaking strength to 6.43%, significantly enhancing its stability. The resultant woven fabric exhibited excellent UV-blocking performance, wash fastness, air permeability, and antistatic properties. The fabric achieved a maximum ultraviolet protection factor (UPF) of 273.54, retaining a UPF of 203.20 after 10 laundering cycles. Compared to conventionally coated fabrics, this method improved fabric air permeability by 22.60%. Furthermore, the static dissipation rate of fabrics processed via this technique increased by 46.70% compared with the untreated counterparts. The yarns and fabrics produced using this approach demonstrated outstanding overall properties, further underscoring the advantages of functional nanocellulose in developing advanced textiles. This technique holds significant potential for superseding conventional coating methods and may find application in producing outdoor tents and umbrellas.
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高影响因子
Polymer Chemistry
·
2025
·Vol. 16
·期 10
·1197-1207
·
IF 3.9
Jia-Ming Song,Xue-Shuai Wang,Jun-Yu Li,Yi Liu,Liu-Chun Zheng
The functionalization of poly(ethylene terephthalate) (PET) can potentially expand the applications of PET, particularly in high-value-added fields. To address the limitations of the low ionic content of traditional anionic PET, our study employs sodium dimethyl isophthalate-5-sulfonate (SIPM) as the ionic monomer. The copolymer was synthesized by transesterification and polycondensation. Ethylene glycol (EG) or butanediol (BDO) was applied to react with SIPM to obtain different types of ionic SIPE or SIPB. The ionic monomers are introduced into the PET macromolecular chains by reacting dimethyl terephthalate (DMT) and EG with SIPE or SIPB; for the first time, the effect of ion types and contents on PET properties was systematically studied. The incorporation of ionic groups leads to a notable enhancement in the mechanical, thermal, and hydrophilic properties of PET ionomers. The introduction of SIPB effectively improves the elongation at break and impact strength of PET, while the incorporation of SIPE substantially enhances the tensile and flexural strength of PET. Furthermore, an increase in the ion content evidently improves the hydrophilicity of the PET ionomer, with maximum water absorption of 30% and lowest water contact angle of 67°. With the introduction of the ion group, the macromolecular chain's regularity was disrupted, and the crystallinity of the PET ionomers was reduced. These changes promise an increase in transparency. Consequently, PET exhibits great potential to be applied in packaging materials, the textile industry, and the optical field.
研究领域:
材料科学
·
高分子化学
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VACUUM
·
2025
·
IF 3.9
Aijia Sun,Yang Zhao,Jiamu Li,Han Lai,Huayi Li,Zhengchun Yang,Jie He,Peng Pan,Rui Zhang
Plastic pollution represents a significant global environmental challenge requiring advanced mitigation strategies. This investigation systematically examines the photocatalytic degradation performance of CuO/TiO 2 composites to prove the feasibility of rapid degradation of polyethylene terephthalate (PET). Various advanced characterization methodologies, including Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM), X-ray Diffractometry (XRD), and X-ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy (XPS), were employed to verify the successful synthesis of nanocomposites and elucidate their distinctive structural attributes and superior photocatalytic functionality. Implementation of a two-step photocatalytic degradation protocol enabled PET to achieve remarkable mass reduction of 97.39 ± 0.79 % after 2 h illumination, representing approximately 30-fold enhancement compared to untreated PET samples. Furthermore, the use of PET film as a pollutant verified the practical feasibility of this method, highlighting the potential of CuO/TiO 2 composites for plastic degradation. Complementary free radical quenching experiments and electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) spectroscopic analyses identified hydroxyl radicals (•OH) as the predominant active species governing PET decomposition pathways. The proposed mechanistic model elucidates the synergistic effects of interfacial energy band modifications between constituent semiconductor components, which critically enhance photoinduced charge carrier separation efficiency. Notably, the study not only achieved the efficient degradation of PET but also provided an efficient method for solving environmental plastic pollution in the future.
研究领域:
环境科学
·
材料工程
·
纳米技术
·
化学工程
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高分子科学
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Journal of CO2 Utilization
·
2024
·
IF 7.2
Zhenrong Zheng,Junjie Dong,Jian Wang,Hongyang Wang
The majority of conventional flame retardants are made by chemical processes using petroleum resources, which cause serious pollution and waste of resources in the ecological environment. In this paper, flame retardants such as L-aspartic acid, DL-serine, L-tyrosine, L-lysine, L-phenylalanine, L-histidine, L-tryptophan, and glycine were employed to finish poly-(ethylene terephthalate) (PET) fabrics with supercritical CO 2 fluid. Scanning electron microscope (SEM) and Energy dispersive spectroscopy (EDS) were used to examine. the microstructure and chemical composition of flame-retardant PET fabrics. The limiting oxygen index (LOI) test and the vertical combustion test were used to assess the flame-retardant qualities of PET fabrics. Differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) were used to test and assess the thermal properties of PET fabrics. The strength test was used to assess the mechanical properties of PET fabrics. The results showed that the amino acid flame retardants were successfully finished on the PET fabrics by supercritical CO 2 (SC-CO 2 ) technology and improved the thermal stability of the PET fabric. In comparison to untreated PET fabric, the elongation at break was 13–15 % greater, and the breaking strength was not reduced. Among them, the PET fabrics treated with L-aspartic acid and L-lysine had better flame-retardant performance, there were no droplets, the LOI values were greater than 30 %, and the char length was less than 10 cm. After 45 minutes of soaping and 3 times of washing, the LOI values were still above 28 %, and there were no droplets. Therefore, the PET fibers treated with amino acids using SC-CO 2 technology effectively improved the flame-retardant performance of PET fabrics.
研究领域:
材料科学
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纺织工程
·
环境科学
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Nature Communications
·
2024
·Vol. 15
·期 1
·1-9
·
IF 14.7
Zhang Shun,Xu Wenhao,Du Rongcheng,Yan Lei,Liu Xuehui,Xu Shimei,Wang Yu-Zhong
Recycling strategies for mixed plastics and textile blends currently aim for recycling only one of the components. Here, we demonstrate a water coupling strategy to co-hydrolyze polyester/cotton textile blends into polymer monomers and platform chemicals in gamma-valerolactone. The blends display a proclivity for achieving an augmented 5-hydroxymethylfurfural yield relative to the degradation of cotton alone. Controlled experiments and preliminary mechanistic studies underscore that the primary driver behind this heightened conversion rate lies in the internal water circulation. The swelling and dissolving effect of gamma-valerolactone on polyester enables a fast hydrolysis of polyester at much lower concentration of acid than the one in the traditional hydrolysis methods, effectively mitigating the excessive degradation of cotton-derived product and undesirable product formation. In addition, the system is also applicable to different kinds of blends and PET mixed plastics. This strategy develops an attractive path for managing end-of-life textiles in a sustainable and efficient way.
研究领域:
材料科学
·
化学工程
·
可持续性
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纺织工程
·
环境科学
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ACS Applied Polymer Materials
·
2026
·
IF 4.7
Jiaxin Lai,Yuexue Chen,Fan Liu,Zijun Yi,Fang Ding,Xuehong Ren
Polyethylene terephthalate (PET) fabrics are widely used owing to their excellent physical and chemical properties, but their inherent flammability poses a significant threat to safety. To address this issue, this study developed an organic–inorganic hybrid flame-retardant system composed of chitosan (CH)/laponite (LAP)/polyethylenimine (PEI)/phytic acid (PA) and constructed a high-performance fire-resistance coating on PET fabrics via a trilayer assembly technique. The results showed that the coated PET fabrics exhibited excellent flame-retardant performance when the concentration of PEI/PA was 10%. The limiting oxygen index (LOI) reached 29.0%, and the damaged length in vertical burning tests was reduced to 3.5 cm with antidripping ability. Compared to PET fabrics, a decrease of 28.3% in the peak heat release rate (pHRR) and 6.3% in the total heat release (THR) was reached for 10FR@PET. In addition, the CO2/CO ratio exhibited a distinct reduction and decreased from 21.4 to 12.8, indicating effective suppression of toxic smoke generation. Notably, 10FR@PET maintained an LOI value of 28.8% after five standard washing cycles, demonstrating exceptional washing durability. This study provides an easy-to-scale-up approach for developing high-performance and environmentally friendly flame-retardant PET materials with broad application prospects in protective clothing, vehicle interiors, and other decorative fields.
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ACS Applied Polymer Materials
·
2026
·
IF 4.7
Junyan Wu,Liuyi Cai,Xiaoxi Chen,Diandian Shi,Yiguo He,Ben Yang,Yadong Zhang,Dianyu Wang
Recycling of plastics is an effective solution to address solid waste pollution. Developing environmentally friendly pathways and more efficient product recycling solutions is crucial. Here, we proposed a method for the full process of upcycling of poly(ethylene terephthalate) (PET) glycolysis products into unsaturated polyester resin (UPR). Specifically, the PET glycolysis employed tetrabutyl titanate (TBT) as a catalyst and with a low catalyst dosage (0.25 wt %), achieving a 97.3% PET conversion at 190 °C for 2.5 h. The generated monomers and oligomers, together with excess alcoholysis agents, were used as raw materials for preparing UPR without purification. Furthermore, by adjustment of the formulation of UPR, its viscosity, gel time, exothermic peak, and mechanical properties were regulated. The final product exhibited a tensile strength of 41.5 MPa and a Young’s modulus of 17.1 GPa as well as satisfactory acid–base resistance. Moreover, techno-economic analysis confirmed that the upgraded PET recycling strategy demonstrated certain economic benefits and industrial application prospects.
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